BACKGROUND: Increasing attention has been paid to enhancing biological control through habitat management in agricultural systems for enhanced pest management. Pest management benefits can be realised by intercropping, which can increase natural enemy abundance and, in turn, reduce pest abundance. In this study, the composition and temporal dynamics of arthropod communities in pear orchards when intercropped with aromatic plants were investigated, and the effectiveness and applicability of aromatic plants as intercrops for enhancing insect control were assessed. RESULTS: When compared with natural grasses or clean tillage, intercropping significantly reduced pest abundance and increased the ratio of natural enemies to pests. Intercropping also shortened the occurrence duration and depressed the incidence peak in annual dynamics curves of the pest subcommunity and the arthropod community, mainly because of the repellent effects of aromatic plants. Equally important, intercropping significantly reduced the numbers of major pests, such as Psylla chinensis, Aphis citricola and Pseudococcus comstocki, while their incidence period was delayed to varying degrees, and the numbers of their dominant natural enemies (Coccinella septempunctata, Phytoseiulus persimilis and Chrysoperla sinica) increased. CONCLUSION: Intercropping with aromatic plants led to a considerable improvement in arthropod pest management by enhancing the activity of the beneficial arthropod community within the pear orchard ecosystem.
BACKGROUND: Increasing attention has been paid to enhancing biological control through habitat management in agricultural systems for enhanced pest management. Pest management benefits can be realised by intercropping, which can increase natural enemy abundance and, in turn, reduce pest abundance. In this study, the composition and temporal dynamics of arthropod communities in pear orchards when intercropped with aromatic plants were investigated, and the effectiveness and applicability of aromatic plants as intercrops for enhancing insect control were assessed. RESULTS: When compared with natural grasses or clean tillage, intercropping significantly reduced pest abundance and increased the ratio of natural enemies to pests. Intercropping also shortened the occurrence duration and depressed the incidence peak in annual dynamics curves of the pest subcommunity and the arthropod community, mainly because of the repellent effects of aromatic plants. Equally important, intercropping significantly reduced the numbers of major pests, such as Psylla chinensis, Aphis citricola and Pseudococcus comstocki, while their incidence period was delayed to varying degrees, and the numbers of their dominant natural enemies (Coccinella septempunctata, Phytoseiulus persimilis and Chrysoperla sinica) increased. CONCLUSION: Intercropping with aromatic plants led to a considerable improvement in arthropod pest management by enhancing the activity of the beneficial arthropod community within the pear orchard ecosystem.
Authors: Boni Barthélémy Yarou; Thomas Bawin; Antoine Boullis; Stéphanie Heukin; Georges Lognay; François Jean Verheggen; Frédéric Francis Journal: Environ Sci Pollut Res Int Date: 2017-08-07 Impact factor: 4.223
Authors: Yan Fang; Shu Li; Qingxuan Xu; Jie Wang; Yajie Yang; Yingying Mi; Zhenyu Jin; Nicolas Desneux; Su Wang Journal: Insects Date: 2022-06-16 Impact factor: 3.139